


Marching through Denmark

by surulaulu



Category: Hamlet - Shakespeare
Genre: Gen, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 13:42:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15842466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surulaulu/pseuds/surulaulu
Summary: Prince Fortinbras of Norway is on his way to invade Poland, but first he must get the permission of King Claudius





	Marching through Denmark

**Author's Note:**

> No beta reading no fact checking we die like hamlet tonight

“What took you so long?” Fortinbras asked once the captain, a man with a mighty beard and sturdy build, returned back to the marching soldiers

“I met the Prince of Denmark, my lord,” the captain responded. 

“Ah, Prince Hamlet? How was he?” Fortinbras smiled with polite enthusiasm, and then added: “And what was he doing out there?”

Although Fortinbras had never personally met him, the word of the Danish prince had carried all the way to the cold Norway. An intelligent prince, like a scholar, he had heard; the polar opposite of Fortinbras, who in turn fancied himself as a soldier rather than a man of high intellect. 

But the land of Denmark considered their prince as an adept swordsman despite his more academia-oriented interests, and Fortinbras couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to challenge the prince to a friendly competition: to see if Hamlet was as good as they said, and to see if Fortinbras’ own skills were as sharp and his reactions as fast as he thought they were. 

“He seemed to have seen better days,” the captain finally admitted with a frown on his face, dragging Fortinbras back to the present. 

“How’s so?” 

“The prince looked like he hadn’t been sleeping in a while,” the man then explained solemnly, “and he could do naught to the dark circles around his eyes. The two men in his company seemed nervous and uneasy as well.”

“Hm, how curious,” Fortinbras noted. “It’s true he only recently lost his father, the late King Hamlet, but something seems a little odd, don’t you think?” 

It’s not like he had any reason to be concerned for a prince of another country, but nevertheless Fortinbras found himself a little puzzled. Could it be there was something going on in Denmark right now? Something concerning the royal house? And, most importantly, would that be a problem for him and his army as they tried to march through? 

“He didn’t tell where he and his companions were going or why, my lord, but they seemed to head towards the harbor.” 

Fortinbras brushed his hand through his soft, brown hair; something he found himself doing whenever something was bothering him. 

“The more I hear the more I wish to know of these curious circumstances... ,” he then said, and the captain nodded. “Remind me, if I don’t remember it myself, to pay a proper visit to the king and his court once we return victorious from Poland.” 

“Yes, my lord,” the captain smiled. “That would be the most wonderful opportunity to also meet the prince himself, don’t you think? Given he is still in the country once we arrive.” 

“You’re right, I’d certainly like to meet him after hearing so much about him.”

“My lord is excited to show off his swordman skills, isn’t that right?” the captain smirked, and Fortinbras let out a laughter. 

“You know me all too well, old friend. I’d like to show who is the best sword fighter in all of north,” the prince replied and grinned, momentarily forgetting his sudden uneasiness.

“Without taking sides,” the captain laughed, “I’m sure it’s our own king-to-be!”

“You’re most definitely taking sides, captain. That’s your job!” the prince smiled. 

Then he stopped, realizing something important he had overlooked:

“Ah, and what about the permission?”

“Granted, my lord. The king is wise; he knows letting us travel through his land peacefully is the best thing to do in order to keep peace between our countries.”

“Excellent. Onwards, then!” 

But even when marching, Fortinbras couldn't shake off the ominous feeling he had.

It wasn't like him to let these kind of things bother him, and that in itself was all the more to make him feel like something was off; it was like even the air he breathed while on the land of Denmark had gotten somehow broodier. 

_“I wonder what all that was about…”_ he thought and looked at the clear sky. _“Somehow I doubt he is returning back to university I heard he attends, considering his father the king died just recently, and his mother just got married. I’d imagine the new king wants to keep him under his supervising eye…”_

__

__

Fortinbras let out a small sigh, but thankfully it went unnoticed by his men. 

_“King Claudius is not a man to be underestimated; he is as cunning as he is cruel. There are already rumors of him having killed the previous king, and while only whispers, I have no doubts he could do that if he wanted to,”_ the young prince mused, now frowning slightly. _“He might fear prince Hamlet is a threat to his newly acquired crown and try to do something to him.”_

A light laughter finally escaped from him, and he managed to relax himself:

 _“This is why I prefer fighting over thinking,”_ he frowned. _“Truly, it’s no good for me to try to use my head like this. I’ll just get a headache.”_

Then, as if to conclude everything, he jokingly added:

_“I just hope Hamlet is alive by the time I return from Poland, so I can finally have a chat with him.”_


End file.
